Paddling GlovesTom Watson reviews some general optionsfor protecting hands while out paddling:Simple neoprene, poggies, scuba gloves, etcQuick Tips for Canoe Camping TripsKevin Callan passes along some simple tricks he as learned over the years aboutcamping and paddling.. with videos too!

Rip! That's one sound no
canoeist or kayaker wants to hear. But sooner or later, all of us will.
Paddling and camping are hard on tents, packs, and clothing. At home, it's
no big deal to mend a tearif you have a sewing machine handy and
know how to use it, that is, or if you know someone who does. But what
happens when you're back of beyond? Most of us don't carry sewing machines
in our boats. When a beaver-gnawed poplar pokes into a Duluth pack, or an
edge of seam-tape that the builder forgot to sand slices through the
sleeve of a paddling jacket, we're on our own. Ignoring the damage isn't
an option. Small tears don't stay small for long.

Fortunately, stitching up a tear isn't difficult. But you need to know
how, and you need a few simple tools. If you carry a ditty
bag like mine, you've already got everything you'll want: needles,
thread, patching material, and a sailmaker's palm. Add a sharp knife and
you're ready to roll.

But what if you don't already have a ditty bag? Now's the time to make
one up. Any small bag will do. And the contents don't have to come from a
sailmaker's shop. You can probably find heavy-duty upholstery needles at
your local HyperMart. Thread's no problem, either. Cotton or
cotton-wrapped polyester's best. (The cotton swells when it gets wet. This
helps to seal the holes.) If you add a hank of waxed cobbler's twine,
you'll be ready for anything. Patching material? Mix and match. A scrap of
sound canvas salvaged from an old tarp. A square of fabric torn from the
tail of the poplin shirt you wore to paint the garage. A piece of denim
cut from a discarded pair of jeans. Color doesn't matter. Once you leave
the put-in, fashion takes second place to function.

Of course, you probably won't find a sailmaker's palm in the HyperMart.
Don't worry. Sure, a palm can be useful, make no mistake. It'll save you a
lot of grief if you have to sew multiple plies of heavy fabric. But unless
you plan to ship aboard a square-rigger, it's almost never really
necessary.

OK. You've got your tools. Now pick the ones you'll need for the job in
hand. Match needle and thread to the fabric you're mending. The lighter
the fabric, the thinner the needle and finer the thread. Canvas or heavy
synthetic packcloth demands a sturdy needle and stout threadmaybe
even waxed twine.

It's not enough to have all the right tools, though, is it? You need
the right moves, too. And practice makes perfect. It's easier to learn the
art of stitching while you're sitting at the kitchen table than when
you're squatting on a riverbank in a drizzle, swatting mosquitoes. So grab
a piece of denim, a good-sized needle, and some heavy thread. We're going
to do a basic herringbone stitch. The herringbone's a classic, and there
are many variations. This one's mine. Why? It's easy to remember once
you've done it a few times, it's strong, and it's simple to sew. Who could
ask for more?

Ready? Let's go! But first things first. How much thread should you
cut off the spool? That depends on how big the tear is. This is no time to
be stingy. It's better to cut too much than to be caught short. Since I'll
be doubling the thread through the eye of the needle, I measure out a
length that's at least four times the size of the tearand I cross my
fingers.

Start your stitch in sound fabric some distance away from the tear.
Push the needle down through the cloth, then bring it up again. Line up
the first entry hole with the long axis of the tear. Exit above. (Remember
to leave a "tail" of thread. This tail will be oversewn to protect against
unraveling.) Next, push the needle through the cloth below the first entry
hole and bring it up to the left. Confused? Look at Step #1 in the
sketch again. Now pull the thread tight. Don't pucker the cloth, though.
The stitch should lie flat and smooth.

Warning! Here comes the tricky bit. Make a clove hitch like the one
shown in Step #2. If it looks like a figure-eight when you've finished,
congratulations! If not, try again. Begin by working the needle under the
original loop stitch from right to left. Next, bring the thread
down and across, moving diagonally over the top of the loop. Then push the
needle under the loop from right to left again and reverse direction once
more, sliding the needle under the diagonal stitch, but
above the original loop. Pull tightbut not too tight. Got a
figure-eight? Great!

Once you've anchored your stitch with a clove hitch, work your way
toward the tear. Here's how:

Push the needle down through the cloth in line with the axis of the
tear, bringing it up to the right of the first stitch. Then carry the loop
of the new stitch below the axis, push the needle in, and bring it back
through on the axis, just to the left of the new loop. Now cross
over the loop and begin again. Stagger the loops:
short-long-short-long . Once you reach the tear, pass the needle
through the rent. (See Step #3, above.) And as you sew, draw each loop
snug. Not too snug, though! You want to bring the edges of the tear
together smoothly, without wrinkles or puckers. When you've completely
closed the tear, continue the line of stitches in sound fabric. Finish up
with a final stitch and a second clove hitch (Give yourself a little room
to make the hitch. See Step #4). Lastly, work the thread under the upper
limbs of the long stitches, returning the way you came. Snip off
any excess thread. You're done!

Does your first effort looks more like a mare's nest than a
herringbone? Don't be discouraged. Be glad you're not squatting by a
river, swatting mosquitoes. It's a lot easier to learn seated at the
kitchen table. Just try again. Practice makes perfect. And remember: a
stitch in time saves nine!